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The Detroit Lions will be under immense pressure to succeed during the 2025 NFL season. Detroit had an incredible regular season in 2024, winning 15 games and securing the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs. Both of those accomplishments were the first in franchise history.
Unfortunately, defensive injuries were Detroit's fatal flaw during the 2024 season. The Lions were a MASH unit by the end of the season, and it ended up costing them in the playoffs against the Commanders.
Now the Lions are tired of getting close to the Super Bowl. They want to go all the way in 2025.
“We're tired of just being close. It’s cool to be close at first, but you don’t want to be comfortable with being close all the time. That’s not what you want to be known for. So this is the year for us, the Year of the Reckoning, the year that we choose we need to finish,” running back David Montgomery declared on Sunday.
Montgomery is not alone in wanting to succeed right away. But it is never that easy in the NFL. Detroit needs to be ready for anything ahead of a 2025 season that is hugely important for the future of the franchise.
But what could doom the Lions during the 2025 season? What should the Lions be preparing for now just months before the regular season?
Below we will explore Detroit's fatal flaw that they must address during training camp.
Defensive depth, upcoming contract extensions could doom the Lions
Oddly enough, the same problem that doomed the 2024 season could come back to bite the Lions in 2025.
The Lions lost a few of their defensive players to serious injuries late in the regular season. As a result, their recovery process will force them to miss most of the regular season. Or in the case of Levi Onwuzurike, the entire 2025 NFL season.
Take defensive tackle Alim McNeill for example. McNeill tore his ACL in Week 15 against the Bills, which ended his season. Since the injury occurred during the middle of December, the Lions are not expecting him back until the second half of the regular season.
Other Lions players, including linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez and defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo, are in a similar situation.
As a result, the Lions are much thinner in reality than they appear on paper.
To compound this issue, Detroit is in a delicate situation when it comes to the salary cap.
The Lions have several players who are approaching the end of their rookie contracts. Edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson is the biggest name, but others like Brian Branch, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jack Campbell, Sam LaPorta, and Jameson Williams are not far behind.
Detroit may have $48 million in cap space right now, but they are currently $43 million over the salary cap for the 2026 season.
The Lions may be looking to roll over a significant chunk of cap space into the 2026 season to help afford some of these extension. But can they wait that long?
One problem that waiting creates is raising the price on some players. Hutchinson, for example, will command top-of-market money. T.J. Watt set the bar high at $41 million per season, and the next edge rusher to get paid will likely receive more than that.
Therefore, it is in Detroit's best interest to sign Hutchinson now. Even if next year's cap space is an issue.
There are also some players, like linebacker Alex Anzalone, who are actively seeking a new contract as soon as possible.
Anzalone maintains that he wants to retire as a Lion. But he is “disappointed” with how contract talks are progressing. Reading between the lines, it seems like the Lions may not be able to afford Anzalone. Or are unwilling to prioritize him over other players.
How should the Lions address their defensive depth problems before the 2025 season?
With all of that being said, how in the world will Detroit solve this problem? Especially if they're already in a tricky situation with their salary cap.
The easiest solution in my eyes is to add a few veterans early in training camp. Adding those veterans sooner rather than later will give them time to gel with Detroit's current players. So it makes sense to move quickly.
But which players should the Lions pursue? And which positions should be the priority?
Just like last season, the defensive line should get most of the attention.
The Lions are thin at edge rusher and defensive tackle, even after drafting both Tyleik Williams and Ahmed Hassanein during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Detroit should first consider signing Za'Darius Smith, who they traded for during the 2024 season. The Lions cut Smith earlier this offseason because of his bloated contract. But both sides have shown a willingness for a reunion.
The team should also explore their options at defensive tackle. D.J. Reader, Tyleik Williams, and Roy Lopez are a solid core group of players, but Detroit simply needs more depth.
Personally, I would feel a lot more comfortable if the Lions added an edge rusher and a defensive tackle within the next week.
